Roads
by natine
Summary: Hermione is a young woman trying to figure life out, starting over again beside her friends and family. Would she risk it all for a fleeting feeling? Can you risk it all when you don't even know what you want? - A Hermione/Sirius story.
1. Chapter 1

**Roads – Chapter 1**

Silence prevailed in Number 12, Grimmauld Place. The London townhouse stood between two other muggle dwellings, and yet curiously removed from its neighboring area. It was as if the sounds of the streets, the honking, sirens, and barking dogs stood on the other side of a thick glass bell jar.

Only dust particles moved, as if in a slow dance, through the air in the long hall that lead to the front door. The room was light and elegant, with white walls, polished hardwood floor, a long black and white rug that stretched from the front door to the stairs, a large mirror that took over a big portion of one of the walls, and in front of it, a long narrow table, over which rested a copper vase with some pink peonies in it and, besides it, a wooden bowl with some keys.

The handle on the front door shook and it squeaked as a brunette woman stepped inside, closing the door behind her and immediately hanging her purse, and then her coat on hooks on the wall by the door.

Hermione took a few more steps and stopped in front of the large mirror, resting her wand on the table and running her fingers through her hair, in an attempt to comb back the hair that had freed itself from the messy bun she had quickly tied up after leaving the subway station. It turned out to be a quite windy afternoon and she had grown tired of being assaulted by her hair on every corner.

But, apart from the messy hair, Hermione really enjoyed windy days. There was something almost magical to the atmosphere when it started blowing and how within minutes the weather could change from sunny to stormy, which seemed to be the case that day. Apparently the warm, sunny days they had been having in this early spring were not going to stay all the way through April.

Hermione didn't mind, though. She could exist in peace with the weather whatever it was like. There were many more things she could concern herself with daily. Like the fact she didn't seem to be making much of a difference with her work lately. She put in many hours and a lot of effort into bending laws so that all magic creatures could be treated with due respect and care, but lately all the hamper of the politics involved were tiring her and driving Hermione to the edge of her patience.

There was also the fact that she sometimes felt so lonely. She knew it was just a fleeting feeling, but it always came back to her sooner or later. She couldn't help but compare herself to her friends, even though she knew better than it. Harry was a happy married man, the father of two children already, Luna had been dating Neville for over five years now and they shared a flat, Ron was happy to date around, even though his relationships rarely lasted longer than a few months, even George had found his happiness in another, and had recently got married to Angelina.

Hermione was starting to worry that she would end up single. Not that she would mind never getting married, but she just felt that life was always better when shared with a better half. She should know, as she had now had some long committed relationships, and a few failed attempts here and there. But they just never worked out in the end.

There had been Ron, of course. Her first serious relationship. They had been quite happy for some time, right after the war. They had discovered together what it meant to take care of each other and how to love someone. But relationships take more than love to work out, and it came to a point when all they had in common was that love and respect they felt for each other. So, in honor of those, they decided it would be best to stop expecting things from each other which they could not offer, and go their separate ways. It was hard at first, to everyone involved. There were awkward lunches and parties, moments of weakness on both of their ends, but with time, their friendship became as strong as it had once been, and they moved on.

Sometimes, Hermione still wondered if it had been a mistake to end things, not to try any harder. But she knew that what was done, was done. She believed that If they were meant to be together, they would find each other again, eventually.

There had also been Oliver Wood. They started dating about a year after Ron and Hermione had broken up. Oliver had made the first move at a Ministry Ball, probably encouraged by some liquor, as he later revealed to Hermione that he had had a crush on her for many years but never acted on it, afraid to rouse Ron's anger. Hermione absolutely adored Oliver's company. He was funny, polite and intelligent. They were together for a little over a year, but things just cooled off between them and it came to a point where they more like friends who lived in the same flat, than anything else. Hermione had done the breaking up this time and it was pretty harsh at first. Oliver didn't want for things to end like that. However Hermione's mind was set, and after some time and some long conversations, she made Oliver realize that it was probably for the best. They still met on the occasional party or event, and were cordial to each other, but that was pretty much it.

At 24 Hermione had felt a bit disillusioned with love. That is, until Viktor came back to her life. It was a Friday evening and Hermione was at a pub in Diagon Alley with Harry, Ginny, Fred and Ron. They had gathered to share a few drinks and celebrate the Chudley Cannons first win in 92 years. Ron was rapt in the celebration, she had never seen him so happy. So, there she was, making another trip back from the bar with a couple more pints when a tall, strong man stood on her way. She nearly dropped the pints as she looked up and recognized her childhood flame there, all muscles and kind eyes, with a shy smile on his lips.

Things escalated pretty quickly from there on. The years had done them both well, and a childhood infatuation became a passionate affair within weeks. Hermione just couldn't get enough of Viktor and the feeling seemed to be mutual, that was for sure. However, Viktor was in England for a short time, only staying there for the remainder of the European championship, and then having to go back home with his team. So, they visited over the weekends and holidays, but it just never felt like enough. They couldn't get enough of each other and the distance was becoming unbearable. Viktor proposed they get married and live together in Bulgaria, but Hermione felt that that was too much of a big step for them. She pondered for some time and, not standing the distance anymore, decided to accept his proposal to move to Bulgaria, leaving her job, friends and family behind, she followed her heart instead of her mind for once and took the chance to experience this relationship in a new place.

She had taken some time to adjust, but she and Viktor were so taken away with each other, that they barely had eyes, and time, to anything else. This bliss lasted for two years and five months, which were some of the happiest Hermione had ever experience in her love life. However, a moment of scare had tipped the scale, when she thought she could be pregnant. Her period had been late for over two weeks, which was very odd for her. Viktor and she had been cautious about this, taking steps to prevent any accidents, but these things always had a way of happening, she felt. Regardless of how it had happened, the fact was that Hermione was surprised by how unprepared she had been for it, how unsure she felt about being a mom and maybe starting a family with Viktor. She sort of went out of her mind during those weeks, waiting for it to be just a fright. Viktor noticed, but she was too scared of her feeling to actually talk about what was going on. And that was the moment when things started to change for them. When her period finally came, she felt the most relieved she ever had in her life, and that was saying a lot.

It took no time for Hermione to start questioning her reaction and why she had felt the way she did. Her constant overthinking made her push Viktor away somewhat, and soon she was questioning all her choices, from leaving London and moving to a new country, to breaking up with Ron, leaving her job at the Ministry, separating herself from her parents, it all just started to haunt her, taking away from any happiness she could experience. Things carried out like this for some months, with Hermione refusing to share her feeling with anyone. She was getting more and more depressed, until one evening Viktor sat her down and demanded to know what was the problem. When Hermione still tried to hide her doubts from him, Viktor suggested she should go back home, and stop lying to herself. Hermione had been furious that he would suggest so, but all Viktor did was take her anger in silence and reply very gently, once she had been done telling him off, that she was not happy with him and he had no desire to keep her miserable, he loved her too much.

Viktor left her alone in the flat after that and didn't return for a few days. When he did, they sat down once more and discussed their feelings and current situation, and then decided it would be best to take some time away from each other.

And that had been it. Hermione hadn't seen Viktor anymore since returning to England eight months ago. Whenever she thought about him and their relationship, she couldn't help but wonder at how far away it all seemed to be now. It was like years had gone by.

Hermione couldn't explain how she had let herself go so much while she was away in Bulgaria, but the fact is that she had put her whole life on hold for a chance to be with the man she loved, once again forgetting that love is not all there is to life. She should have known better.

With a sigh, she looked up into the mirror once more, realizing it was now dark all around her. How long had she been standing there, lost in thought? This was not something foreign to her, as she would often find herself frozen in space, wondering about any and every possible thing. Harry, Ginny and Ron had all noticed this habit already, and would often snap their fingers in front of her face and share a laugh over her spacing out. Hermione didn't mind in the least, and would join in, most times relieved to be brought back to Earth.

She had gone upstairs and taken the most relaxing bath, marveling at the old claw foot tub, the pattern of the tiles and the beauty of the old house, as she often did. Harry had offered her the house, when she came back from Bulgaria with a broken heart, no job and no place to stay but her parents' house. Since it had been locked and empty for almost ten years, Hermione agreed to take care of the place while she stayed there, it seemed like a fair trade, and to be honest, Hermione had always been fascinated by the history in that house, all the hidden treasures and secrets she could dig up while studying the ancient and extensive collection in its library, the family heirlooms and furniture, it was all so fascinating –and, given, probably dangerous too – but Hermione loved a challenge.

So, in the next months she had spent most of her free time going through the rooms, cleaning, rearranging, renovating and adding some touches here and there to make the house a home. Every now and then someone would pop in to help her, and she found Molly Weasley to be one of the biggest enthusiasts in this endeavor. Hermione's mother was also quite pleased with helping around, especially when it came to shopping for new furniture and fabrics.

And now number 12, Grimmauld place was a wonderful place, gone was all the darkness surrounding the house, the chipped walls and damaged furniture. Hermione felt that the house could easily be featured in an interior design magazine. Not that she would try that, Hermione appreciated all the privacy she could get. Even so many years after the war, it was still common to find her face and her friends' faces on the news.

Heading downstairs to the kitchen, Hermione started working on her dinner, she was absolutely famished, and had already started cooking some pasta when her fireplace came to life, the flames green and soon displaying Harry's face in them.

 _Hey, Hermione_ – He greeted joyfully – _How are you? I haven't seen you at the Ministry today._

 _Hey, Harry. I know, I went in earlier for a meeting with the Winzegamot representatives, and it went on for ages, you have no idea. I missed lunch, so I took the liberty of getting off earlier_.

 _Oh, I can imagine, what a nightmare_. – Harry frowned at the thought – _Did you make any progress then?_ – Harry was familiar with her latest battle to increase wages to all registered werewolves.

 _Not in the slightest, I'm afraid. It's like no one cares about this_. – The issue frustrated Hermione immensely.

 _They probably don't, Hermione, that's the thing._

 _I know. But they will. I'm telling you Harry, these people are not going to tire me out of this cause with all their stalling. I can hold a grudge as well as the next person._

 _Don't I know_. – Harry ducked in the fire when Hermione threw a piece of onion at him. – _Ouch_.

 _You should know better than teasing me about serious matters_ – Hermione was smiling now, not at all bothered by her friend's teasing. – _So, are you guys coming over for dinner tomorrow?_

The next day was a Saturday, and it was common for Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and the kids to have dinner together on Saturday evenings. It wasn't set in stone, but at least a couple of times a month they would share a meal and some laughs around the dining table.

- _Yes, we are. Ginny is picking the boys up at the Burrow and then we'll come over, around 6, is that alright?_

 _\- Yes, perfect. I can't wait to see James and Albus, I miss them so much!_

 _\- You'll get plenty of them tomorrow, they keep asking about auntie Hermi-nee_ – Harry laughed and waved goodbye through the fire – _Goodnight, we'll see you tomorrow._

 _\- Goodnight, Harry_. – Hermione waved and waited until the flames died out, turning back to check on her pasta with a smile on her face. She really did miss her friends, especially the little ones. James and Albus were just adorable, and she had a lot of fun hanging out with them.

It was funny how the idea of her own baby had scared her so much, but when it came to her best friends' children she felt so at home and at ease. Go figure.

Pouring the sauce over the pasta and serving herself some of the deliciously smelling food, she made her way to the living room, where she had placed a TV set - which took quite some effort for her to make work in a magical dwelling – and sat down in front of it, on the new armchair she just loved, ready to watch some telly and have her dinner before heading off to bed. She was pretty tired, it had been a long day and Hermione couldn't wait for the weekend to start, it felt like it would be a special one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Roads – Chapter 2**

The day had dawned with the sky covered in dark clouds, no ray of sunshine visible anywhere. Leaning on the ledge of the open second story window, Hermione took in deep breaths, appreciating the crisp air and the electrical atmosphere outside. A storm was coming, of that she was sure.

She had had a bit of a lie in, enjoying letting her body wake up slowly for once, reading a whole chapter of her current bedside book, a biography of Patti Smith, a muggle singer who was famous in the 70's. Then she had gotten up and tidied up the house a bit to receive her friends.

Ron sent an owl to excuse himself from the meal, since he already had plans with a friend. Hermione knew Ron well enough to know it was a girl he would be going out with, his most recent girlfriend, Sarah. She had met Sarah twice already and the girl seemed like a pretty nice lady, beautiful, polite and friendly, which made it hard for Hermione to decide if she was actually happy for Ron, or a bit jealous he had found someone like that. Sometimes she felt like she could care less about Ron and his love life, and at other times, she felt like every girlfriend he got was an insult to their story and a stab to her core. It was so confusing, that Hermione swore to herself never to dwell on the matter, and to just go on being friendly and accepting of whoever Ron brought into his life. It had worked out pretty well so far.

At about thirty past five, Hermione started working on dinner. She wasn't much of a cook to be honest, but if there was something she could cook it was lasagna. Also, anyone could toss a salad to accompany a meal, and that's what exactly what they would be having tonight. For dessert, she had ran to the bakery earlier and gotten some cupcakes, which she was sure would be a hit with the boys as well as Ginny.

A few minutes past six, her doorbell rang and Hermione rushed to welcome her friends in. As she opened the door a very excited James let go of his mother's hand and ran towards Hermione, grabbing her legs in a tight hug.

\- Auntie Hermi-nee! Auntie Hermi-nee look! I have new shoes! They are muggle!

\- Hey sweetie – Hermione replied, as she smiled at her friends and bent down to pick James up and hug him before turning him sideways and looking at his shoes. – Look at those! Are those sneakers?

\- They are, aunt 'mi-nee. And they light up when I step. Let me step here.

Hermione quickly put the boy down, so James could show her the cool sneakers. He walked down the corridor, and at each step a light would go on in his heels.

\- That's so cool! Now – Hermione turned toward Harry, Ginny and little Albus who was in his father's arms, they were already inside and hanging their coats by the door – Let me say hello to everyone else, Jamie.

Hermione hugged her friends and greeted Albus with a kiss on his cheek. The toddler gave her a smile as she offered to hold him and then led the way to the kitchen, all the while marveling at James' shoes, which made the boy gleam with joy.

\- Mmm… it smells great in here, what have you been cooking, Hermione? – Ginny asked as she approached the oven, curious and excited about the evening's main course.

\- Oh, nothing too fancy, I'm afraid. Just some lasagna. You know, simple but tasty. I also have a salad over there. – and Hermione pointed to the kitchen table, which she had already set as she waited for her friends to arrive. – Harry, the high chair is on the dining room, would you mind bringing it down?

\- Not at all. I'll be right back – and off he went, leaving the women to bring the boys near the sink and wash their hands. Little Albus was just learning to feed himself and still used his hands to do it.

\- So, my brother couldn't join us, he let you know, right?

\- Yes, Ginny, he sent an owl this morning. A previous engagement with a friend, he said. That's Sarah, isn't it?

\- I think so, but who can be sure, really? He didn't seem too attached to her last time I saw them.

\- She seemed nice, though.

\- And she is, I just don't think Ron knows what he's looking for, you know? It's like he's looking for something, but he just never finds it.

\- Well, maybe it's just a matter of timing…

Harry then came through the door, levitating the high chair ahead of himself. – Is here, ok? – he asked, pointing a spot by the table.

\- Wherever is fine, just place it where you want. Ginny, there's some juice on the fridge, could you get it?

\- Sure. James, go sit down at the table, honey.

Hermione helped Harry strap Albus to the high chair and soon they were all sat and enjoying their meal.

\- Have you heard about the incident with Saul Croaker this last Friday? – Harry asked Hermione before taking a large bit of the lasagna.

\- No, not really. I was in that meeting with the wizengamot representatives pretty much all day, remember? I didn't stick around the Ministry for long after it was over; I just wanted to come home as soon as possible.

\- That's right – Harry dabbed his lips on a napkin and pushed his glasses back on his nose before carrying on with the latest gossip from the Ministry of Magic and the unspeakable in question – Well, apparently there was a big commotion around Kingsley's office around noon. It seems Croaker was really upset after a meeting with the minister. No one really knows what happened, but Mr. Weasley was just coming off the lift to see Kingsley himself, and he told us that Croaker kept repeating to himself that no one would throw all his work away like that.

\- Oh my, I wonder what Kingsley said to him. Isn't Croaker the one who's always in a hurry and wearing a frown?

\- That's the one. Well, it doesn't matter, I suppose, as we'll never know what he was working on. But I almost feel sorry for the guy, wasting his time for so long.

\- I am not surprised; God knows that's what I've been doing for months now. I feel my efforts in the werewolf wage situation are just useless.

\- Hermione, isn't there anything we can do to help the cause? – Ginny offered, concerned with the delay in Hermione's progress. This was a matter that was dear to them all, as they had witnessed firsthand, through Lupin's struggle, what it was like for someone to be denied a job, or payed less for their work just because they were different somewhat.

Hermione too felt that her efforts could somehow atone for some of what her late professor had been through. There wasn't a day she didn't think about Remus and how unfair his life had been. It saddened her immensely to imagine how he could have been happier, and enjoyed life more if people weren't so prejudiced. Some days, she would think of James, Lily and Sirius as well, a whole generation gone to waste because of prejudice. It angered her to know how they had suffered. It angered her that they were gone, lives lost and wasted because society was the way it was. Well, that anger fueled her, it pushed her to keep fighting. She would sit through as many long and tiresome meetings as necessary, work as many hours a day as she physically could, hell, she would even bribe people again, as she had bribed those accountants to make sure the information the magical companies had sent her were accurate. The lengths she would go to were extent, and there was very little she wouldn't do to make people come to their senses, to have a fairer magical world.

\- Actually, I have been thinking about this a lot, and I think there's one strategy that could help the cause, if you guys were willing to. – Hermione, replied, slightly unsure of the answer she would get from Harry and Ginny.

\- Just tell us Hermione, if we can, we will help, no doubt – Ginny had always been fierce, and the color now spread over her pale face, as she bent forward over the table, letting Hermione know her friend meant business.

\- Well, I've been giving some interviews to the Daily Prophet and some foreign newspapers as well, but it hasn't made much of a difference, since it's obvious I'd support the cause I fight for. But I was thinking, maybe if you guys could talk to the media as well, emphasize the matter of werewolf equality, maybe we could gain some more public supporters and persuade the wizengamot to act favorably. I know you have been avoiding interviews and appearing in articles and such, so I can understand if aren't willing…

\- We'll do it – Ginny interrupted.

\- Of course, Hermione. – Harry chipped in – You should know we'd never say no to this.

The positive reaction from her friends brought a large smile to Hermione's face and made her feel like she was back in the saddle, or back to the mat, or whatever analogy muggles used, she couldn't remember. – Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me.

Albus chose that moment to throw some lasagna on Harry's forehead, apparently by accident, as he had been playing with his spoon for some minutes now. Instantly, the serious atmosphere that had been surrounding the table was lost, and the women burst out in laughter, along with James. Harry looked shocked, as did little Albus, but after a few seconds of staring at each other, both also cracked up and joined the group. It was in moments like these that Hermione looked around her and knew she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

As Ginny colored with the boys on the table, Harry helped Hermione clean up after the wonderful meal. They were messing with each other, while doing the dishes and drying them the muggle way, talking about missed spells and failed potion attempts, when an owl tapped on the window, drawing everyone's attention.

Harry had his hands free and so went over, opened the window and retrieved the message, letting the owl go with a treat Hermione kept by.

\- It's for me. – He said, with some surprise in his voice, as he unrolled the parchment.

Hermione and Ginny shared a glance and then looked at Harry, waiting for a reaction. He read and reread the message for what seemed like forever, and as he did, Harry grew pale and paler and Hermione noticed the slight tremble in his left hand. Finally, he said:

\- It's from the Minister. There has been an incident at the Department of Mysteries and they need me there.

Ginny wore a concerned expression on her face, which Hermione was sure matched her own. Without any more details to offer, Harry excused himself and promised to be back as soon as possible, before flooing to the Ministry and leaving two very curious and apprehensive witches behind.


	3. Chapter 3

_Alright, so just before we start, I have an announcement to make. This is the first time I write and upload a fanfic. I have been reading them for many years now, and never thought of myself as a writer, to be honest. But sometimes I have ideas for stories that I think could be amazing, if someone else wrote them. So, tired of seeing those ideas die away, I just felt I could give this a try. I'd like to stress the fact that I am not a writer and to also point out that English is only my second language. I prefer to read fanfiction in English and I feel that writing in this language makes my story available to more people than if I were writing in Portuguese, which is my mother tongue._

 _I do realize there are several mistakes in my text which I didn't notice while revising and were published here. I apologize and assure you, readers, that I do try my best to avoid them, but sometimes they just go unnoticed until is too late, so please bear with me._

 _And also a reader left me a comment asking why I used hyphens in speech instead of speech marks. Thank you, Oliver for pointing this out. I do this because that's how you write dialogue in Portuguese, and all my writing training has been done having Portuguese as the base language. I apologize if this has been confusing for you guys, I'll try and change it from now on, even though I must confess using speech marks in dialogue doesn't come naturally to me._

 _I encourage you to keep commenting and giving me your opinions on the story and the writing, as this is super helpful and will surely improve my writing a lot._

 _And now, I leave you with the third chapter of our story, enjoy it_

 **Roads – Chapter 3**

Harry closed his hands in fists, feeling how sweaty his palms actually were. He also noticed his heart was beating faster, and even though he took steps as large as he possibly could, it was almost as if his legs couldn't carry him fast enough towards his destination.

There was just something odd about this situation, he knew. Not only was it unusual for Kingsley to contact him directly, especially on a Saturday evening, but the Department of Mysteries was also involved and Harry, as most Ministry employees, really had no business in what went on in that department. He disliked the place for all the memories it brought back, and had no plans to ever visit it again.

And yet, here he was, making his way across the Ministry atrium, towards the long hallways that would lead him to the place he once had rushed into as a boy, followed by his friends, only to be tricked, to have the people he loved hurt, or killed. The guilt was still there, weighting him down, even after all these years. How sorry he felt for what he had caused, how he wished he could go back and change things. So many losses could have been avoided if he had been more rational, if he had just…

"Harry!"

The call echoed through the green tile covered hall, interrupting Harry's train of thought and bringing him back to the present, to see Kingsley Shacklebolt standing ahead, besides a middle-aged woman, who Harry recognized to be an unspeakable from previous encounters on the lifts and halls of the Ministry, but whose name he never actually had learned. Kingsley looked worried, but also like he had control over whatever situation they had been facing and this reassured Harry somewhat. He nodded to greet them and had no time to ask questions, as Kingsley took his arm, leading Harry away from the unspeakable, down the hall.

"Harry, come with me" The minister led him around a corner, to another hallway. "I'm sorry to have interrupted your time of rest, my friend. But there has been a…" The older man was obviously lost for words, but he quickly carried on, before Harry had a chance to interrupt. "Well, something unexpected happened here at the department, and I feel this concerns you."

"Just tell me what it is, Minister. Is it a prophecy again?" Harry voiced his worst fear with little hesitance, anxious to understand what was going on. They had reached a black door at the end of the hallway, which Harry did not recognize. He was almost sure he had never been to this place before.

Kingsley rested his hand on the door knob, but didn't turn it, instead facing Harry and explaining: "There's no prophecy, Harry, don't worry. This is a new matter, entirely. We are still not sure if there's reason to be worried, but early this morning we received a visitor. I apologize; this is clearly not making much sense, let me start again." Kingsley smiled briefly and dropped his hand from the knob, taking a deep breath before continuing. "There's an unspeakable, Professor Saul Croaker, who has been working for the Ministry for several years now, perhaps you have heard of him?" Harry acquiesced and Kingsley went on. "Anyway, his work concerns the Death Chamber, and to be honest, I don't really know the specifics of his research, only part of it. Professor Croaker has been involved in a specific project for the past four years and there was an experiment he wanted to perform, which was denied by the Ministry, as we felt it went beyond the principles and interests of our kind. However, the professor ignored the department's guidelines and performed his experiment without authorization this last night."

Harry nodded, following along Kingsley's explanation but silently urging the Minister to get on to the point in which he was concerned. This was starting to sound bad again and Harry could hardly take the dread that started to wash over him. He hated that chamber and still had very vivid nightmares about losing his godfather in the veil inside it. Shacklebolt seemed to notice the young man's feelings and quickly resumed his explanation.

"The result of his experiment is that the tempering of the veil in the Death Chamber has caused someone to travel back through it, Harry".

Harry stared at the former auror and blinked a couple of times, his forehead creased as he tried not to jump into conclusions only to be disappointed. Kingsley looked dead serious, but he still nodded, indicating Harry's conclusions were true, and slowly let his lips form a smile.

"He's back, Harry. Sirius is back"

Harry moved his lips but didn't utter a sound, trying to put his rushing thoughts into words. The first question he managed to utter was "Is he the same?" And a terrifying image of an inferi came to his mind. What if Sirius was really back, but as a shadow or deviation of his former self? Harry was not sure he could take that.

"He's himself, alright. We have kept him under observation most of the day, Harry, running some tests, and as far as we can tell, he's still the same man who left us eleven years ago."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. This was too much. Tears slid down his face as he bit his fist, trying his best not to run down the hall screaming, or burst into the next room looking for his godfather. Could this really be real?

"Come, let's take a look at him, shall we? He's anxious to see you too."

Harry was trembling as he followed Kingsley through the threshold, feeling as if at any second he would wake up only to find this had been a very vivid dream. Kingsley took a step aside and Harry saw, a few meters ahead, sat on a chair and talking to a young unspeakable man was Sirius, his beloved godfather, still dressed on the very same robes from the day they had lost him, hair just as long, framing the kind and still young face, as if he had not aged a single day.

Harry's presence must have been noticed then, for Sirius turned his head toward him, his blue eyes fixing the man that Harry now was. Those eyes soon watered just as Harry's and Sirius leapt from his seat, both men smiling and striding to meet in a tight hug, which lasted for minutes and was followed by many shed tears. At last, Sirius held Harry at arm's length, studying the face of his godson, so changed by the years. The boy had been replaced by an almost exact replica of his father, if Sirius didn't know better, he could have mistaken Harry for James. Except Harry's eyes gave away more than the fact that Lily was his mother. Harry's eyes spoke of loss and pain, of a harsh past. These could never be James's eyes. Sirius could only imagine what his godson had had to go through, without his help, without his guidance. Two more tears slid down Sirius's face as he drew Harry in for another hug.

"I'm so glad you are alive! And well. I'm so sorry, Harry"

Harry was the one who took a step back and shook his head, holding Sirius still.

"No, I'm sorry, Sirius. It was my fault."

"Well, I'm sure the fault was neither of yours" Kingsley interrupted. "Just be glad you are both here now, and the worst is past us. Harry, we won't keep you long. Sirius has spent the day allowing us to run test over test to detect his condition, and as nothing seems to be amiss for the time being, we will let him go and rest for the night."

Harry nodded, still smiling and not quite believing his luck. Sirius, on the other hand seemed bothered by Shacklebolt's words.

"Don't worry Sirius, you are not a prisoner, you may come and go as you please, although we would like you to return on a daily basis at first, just for us to make sure everything is alright with you. I would also recommend avoiding public appearances for a while, you don't want the press all over you, believe me. And neither does the Ministry. There's a lot we cannot explain and we still have to deal with Professor Croaker's disregard for magical laws." Kingsley seemed genuinely worried about the situation.

It was Sirius's time to nod, as he put his arm over Harry's shoulder. "I can do that."

"Good. Harry, we'll meet on Monday morning, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all, minister. Thank you for calling me here."

"Don't mention it, Harry. I expect you are taking Sirius in tonight?"

"Yes, we'll go home now"

Kingsley approached Sirius and gave him a quick hug "It's good to have you back, mate."

"It's good to be back, mate." Sirius clapped Kingsley on the back as the two said their goodbye. Harry nodded his goodbye as well and soon Sirius found himself walking side by side to his godson, through the Ministry atrium, towards the fireplace area. It was still hard to believe so much time had passed while he was away. To Sirius, it felt as if he had been sleeping for a long time, but not as if years had gone by. It would certainly take some time to get used to this new life. He noticed the Statue on the center of the atrium had been replaced. "It seems like things have really changed around here."

Harry nodded, as he reached for some floo powder. "Some things have, yeah. We'll talk about it when we get home"

"Yes" Sirius stared at his godson some more, a big smile on his face. "So, where's home?"

"Ginny and I have a place at Godric's Hollow"

"Ginny? Really?" Sirius's smile just kept getting bigger. He quite liked the idea of Harry and the redhead together, it seemed fitting. "That's good to hear. We really have a lot of catching up to do."

"Don't worry, we will" Harry pat Sirius on the back and threw the powder in the fireplace, stepping into it and shouting "Potter residence", and finally twisting in green flames. Sirius followed suit and soon disappeared in the flames, leaving an empty hall behind him. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Roads – Chapter 4**

James's forehead felt very smooth and warm under Hermione's gentle touch. She had been stroking the soft black hair back from his face, in a delicate caress as the boy slept by her side on the couch, his head resting on her lap. Albus was also fast asleep, cradled in his mother's arms, just across the room.

The rain outside made for the perfect lullaby, and Hermione herself felt quite tired and sleepy. However, worry kept her vigilant, while she and Ginny waited for any news from Harry. He had departed earlier that evening, called on business to the Ministry, and promised to return as soon as possible. The possible reason for his summoning and delay had been the main topic of conversation between the witches, but as they exhausted all the possibilities they could think of, with no reassurance whatsoever, they now spoke of everything else but, trying to be as quiet as they could, so to not wake the children up.

"How's George doing at the joke shop? Still looking for some help?" – Hermione was genuinely interested, since she knew George had been working around the clock lately, never finding anyone fit for the job.

"You know George, always expecting employees to be as mischievous as…" Ginny seemed to catch herself just in time to avoid mentioning her late brother, and continued "as him. Plus, most of them can't stand all the pranking. I don't blame them for giving up, honestly."

Hermione always felt a pang in her heart whenever she thought of Fred, and more so when she thought of George without his brother, the two had always been tied at the hip, almost like two halves of a single whole and she knew how long, and how much effort it had taken from George for him to be able to be who he was today, a man who had a wife, a shop, who tried his best to carry on with life. It was only natural that he would look for his employees to be as close to his ideal as possible. But his ideal was pretty hard to be met.

"I can imagine. Well, I could offer him a hand next weekend, if he still hasn't found anyone" And knowing George as she did, Hermione was pretty sure he wouldn't. She quite liked helping around at the shop on weekend days, she had done this many times before. She liked to stock the products, arrange them on the displays, review some books whenever George asked her to… she even enjoyed some of the pranking, although sometimes it was indeed too much, to be honest.

"I think he'd love that, Hermione. I'll see him tomorrow actually, so I can let him know you offered, if you'd like."

"Yes, please do, Gin."

"Are you staying in tomorrow? You should come to the Burrow and have lunch with us."

Ginny and the Weasleys were always very welcoming of Hermione, even after her break-up with Ron, something that really touched her and made her feel loved and as part of a big family. Whenever she could, she'd join them for lunch, a picnic at the backyard or just to go over and have a cup of tea with Molly and Arthur. But as it was, she already had plans for the next day.

"I'd love to, I really would. But I'm actually meeting my parents for lunch tomorrow."

Ginny raised her eyebrows slightly at the information. "Oh, that's nice. Maybe next Sunday then?" she asked.

"Yes, for sure" Hermione replied with a brief smile.

It wasn't often that Hermione would make plans with her own parents. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had already retired, and spent a lot of their time traveling abroad and to the countryside. They loved their daughter very much and were proud of her achievements in the magical world. However, ever since the war and since learning that Hermione had erased their memories and sent them away in order to protect them, it was like their relationship and dynamic as a family had changed.

Hermione had, of course, explained to them everything that had led her to make such a tough decision, and Monica and Wendell claimed to understand her reasons, even though they wish she had been sincere with them at the time. They felt that things could have been different, that they could have found another way to deal with the dangers of what was to come, to be there and help Hermione through it. In the end, many tears had been shed, apologies made and accepted. But their relationship would never be what it once was. There would always be some apprehension in her parents that she could do something like that again. Hermione understood this, unspoken as it had been. She respected the fact that she had hurt her parents by underestimating their ability to deal with the war. And they understood she had done what she thought was best to protect the ones she loved.

So, every now and then, they'd have lunch or dinner together, sometimes Hermione would visit them on a Sunday morning for breakfast, if they were in town. But mostly, they led different lives in different worlds. When Hermione went to Bulgaria, this became even clearer. There were very few things Hermione knew she had failed at, but she felt that this was one of them.

At that moment, green flames on the sitting room fireplace brought Hermione back from her thoughts. Harry stepped out of it as the flames died away, arranging his glasses as he did so.

"Harry, is everything alright?" Ginny asked as she got up slowly, Albus still asleep on her arms.

"Yes, sorry to keep you waiting" Harry replied, with a very lighthearted expression. "Actually, something wonderful has happened."

"Really?" This time it was Hermione who stood up, after moving James's head slowly off her lap.

"You won't believe it!"

"Harry, honey, just tell us" Ginny pleaded, gently laying Albus down on the couch in front of the hearth, and then turning back to face her husband.

"There's been an incident at the Department of Mysteries. That auror we were talking about earlier, remember?"

"Yes, Croaker." Hermione provided, as anxious to get the news as Ginny.

"Exactly. Well, it turns out he has been working on something related to the Death Chamber…"

Hermione and Ginny exchanged a look as they listened to this piece of news. They were both acutely aware of what had happened in that room eleven years ago. Harry continued "and, whatever experiment he did, the most amazing thing happened, the veil opened, or reversed or something, and Sirius is here! He is here, and alive!"

Shock did not begin to describe what Hermione felt at Harry's words. What did he mean Sirius was here? This was impossible. It had never happened before. She had read about it, over and over again. She had researched this, read every available book she could get her hands on. The veil was like a portal, but the ticket was always one-way.

"Wait a minute Harry. This is crazy" Hermione needed to understand what was going on. "Have you actually seen proof of this? Where's this Croaker man and, more importantly, where's Sirius then?"

Harry couldn't contain a little laugh from escaping his lips. Of course this sounded crazy.

"Hermione, he's at home! I saw him, touched him, and talked to him. We went home after leaving the Ministry three hours ago, and I tell you, we have been there talking and sharing a drink since then." At this, he turned to Ginny. "I'm sorry I didn't come earlier, love. I just, I really wanted to spend some time with Sirius, and there's so much he doesn't know yet."

"I understand Harry, it's alright, really. I can't believe this." Ginny stepped forward and threw her arms around Harry, tearing up as she did so. "Is this really true?"

Harry nodded, as he hug her back. "I know. I never imagined…"

"Harry" Hermione interrupted, still wary of the situation. "Can we be sure this is really Sirius? I mean, I don't want to burst your bubble or anything, but with everything we went through… I just wonder if…"

"Hermione, I see what you mean. But this is real. When I got to the Ministry, Kingsley assured me they had made sure Sirius was really the Sirius we used to know. He was found in the early morning and then they were testing him all day long, making sure his mental and physical health was intact. I know it's a lot to take in, but Sirius truly is back."

As Harry explained how Sirius had been found at the Death Chamber floor early in the morning, still in the same robes as before, then taken to mediwizards and witches, made to go through magical tests to detect any possible problem, how Kingsley had waited until they were absolutely sure Sirius was the same, now here, alive and well before calling Harry, Hermione felt herself finally stop struggling with the truth, and tears filled her eyes and this new reality sunk in and she finally understood what this meant to Harry, to Sirius, and to them all.

It was truly wonderful. There were still so many questions that she needed to find answers to regarding his return, but for now she could push those aside and bask in the happiness that having Sirius back brought to her, and specially to her best friend. Harry deserved to have his godfather back at his side, a part of his family. He deserved it so much. And Sirius, oh my, just imagining this second chance Sirius had been given, it filled her eyes with tears all over again. Who deserved a second chance at life, at happiness, more than Sirius Black? The man who had his youth and his life stolen away by such a traitor, who had lost the ones he loved so cruelly, a prisoner, first at Azkaban, then in his own, and much hated, childhood home, only to be killed by that monster of his cousin.

Now the war was over, the past could be put behind, Sirius could have a real shot at life and happiness. This was so, so wonderful, she could barely believe it.

"I left Sirius at home, he was barely able to keep his eyes open anymore, I think he had a pretty long day. And, I'm really sorry I left you all waiting for me until this late. Let's go home, Gin, and let Hermione rest too. But maybe we can all meet tomorrow, Hermione? I think Sirius would really like to see you and everyone else."

"Yes, I'd love that, Harry. Don't worry about us, it's perfectly understandable that you'd like to have some time alone with your godfather."

Harry nodded and stepped forward to hug Hermione goodbye. Ginny did the same, thanking Hermione for dinner before going over to the couch to get James, who mumbled a bit, his eyes still closed, not really waking up in his mother's arms. Harry picked little Albus is his arms as well and moved to get some floo powder after Ginny. Hermione waved them goodbye by the fireplace, waiting until the green flames disappeared after her friends.

She felt like her head should be rushing with the day's events, but she was so tired right now, that it was very hard to follow any train of thought for too long. In awe still, she turned the lights in the sitting room off as she headed upstairs to her room, Regulus's old bedroom, right across the hall from Sirius's. She wondered if he would like what she had done to the place, the house looked so different now. Maybe she should start looking for a flat to rent, this was, after all, Sirius's house. It would be expected for Harry to give it back, right? She wasn't sure, this was such a complicated matter, so unprecedented. As she changed into her sleeping t-shirt and pajama pants, she wondered if Sirius would still be as handsome as she remembered him to be. Not that it mattered, but she remembered he had such beautiful features, it would be a shame if some of his beauty had been lost in that veil. It really didn't matter, that was so long ago. What mattered was that he was here, with them once again, alive and well, apparently. She'd like to see some of his tests, just to be sure though. Maybe if she talked to Kingsley... but no, he wouldn't allow her to delve into unspeakable business, would he?She'd have to check that in the morning. Hermione closed the curtain of the window that stood beside her bed, pulled the covers and arranged her pillows just the way she liked them. Perhaps it would be better to read a bit on the subject of portals before visitng Sirius and the Potters the next day... it didn't hurt to be prepared. She also wondered if Harry had already filled Sirius in on the war and how it had ended. It wouldn't be easy to tell him about the ones who had been lost along the way. Hermione really didn't want to see Sirius become as gloomy as he had been in his last days. She hoped he could heal and move on from all the pain soon. Ah, finally she could lay down, feel the soft pillow under her head, God she was tired. Had she closed and warded the front door? Maybe. Probably. Yes, she had. She really wanted to close her eyes and get some sleep now. And Sirius was back.


End file.
